A few summers ago when I was still working for Contiki, I went on a river cruise to the South of France. One of the excursions was olive oil tasting at the Moulin Saint Jean Olive Farm located in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It was a family olive farm, passed down from the generations to two sisters, and is now the only female owned & operated olive farm in France! In the gift shop and around the farmhouse, I kept noticing a beautiful emblem of a crossed heart anchor.

After the olive oil farm we traveled to Les Baux-de-Provence, a Medieval village that sits atop a fortified rocky site in the Alpilles mountains, with stunning views of Arles and la Camargue. Again in the gift shops I noticed this same emblem. It wasn't until I returned home and starting going through my pictures, that I finally discovered what the anchor meant.

Here is what I've learned, and here is the adorable little dog I met at the Olive Oil Farm, I hope you enjoy!

The Origin of the CamarGUe Cross /La Croix de Camargue

The Camargue Cross icon can be found in the South of France, by the Mediterranean Sea. It’s the emblem of the Saintes Maries de la Mer, the Capital of the Camargue region.

It was created by artist Hermann Paul in 1924 at the request of the Marquis Folco de Baroncelli. The emblem’s cross, heart and anchor represent three key Christian virtues: Faith, Love & Hope. The Maries de la Mer means “Marys of the Sea”, after the three Marys (Mary Magdalene, Mary Salome & Mary Jacobe) who were companions to Mary the mother of Jesus and the first witnesses of the empty tomb after Jesus’ resurrection. They were said to have escaped persecution by boat with no sails or oars, and landed on the town’s shores.

The town is also home to an annual pilgrimage and gathering of the gypsies each May, to venerate Saint Sara, the patron saint of the Romani people, who is believed to have helped the three Marys. In the 20th century, the town became a literary and artisitic center and was a favorite of Hemingway, Picasso & Van Gogh. The area is famous for its wild white horses, black long-horned bulls and pink flamingos. The region still has a strong bullfighting tradition. The three-pronged fork or “trident” at the top resembles the tool used by local manadiers (cowboys) for herding bulls, while the anchor resonates with the local fisherman’s culture.

If you've fallen for this little emblem like I have, here is a new hand drawn stamp I've recently added to the Rocks de Vie etsy shop, as well as a Faith Hope & Love art print with the anchor.

The Top 25 Most Valued Athletes on Social Media in '16 was released earlier this week by 120 Sports and MVPindex. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson earns the #1 spot for the second straight year, and there are now 5 female athletes that have moved up the rankings to join the list!

“For years, the yard stick in determining social media value was based solely on the number of followers someone had. But at MVP we know that quantity does not mean quality,” MVPindex co-founder Kyle Nelson said in a statement. “With our sophisticated Engagement Value Assessment tool, we look at social media impressions, engagement, virality and social authority to help figure out what it’s all really worth.” - SportTechie

College Football Miracles / Wild House Paper's February box / Meryl Streep vs. MMA / Under Armour Changing the game

SPORTS WORLD // FOOTBALL MIRACLES:They say God doesn't care who wins or loses a football game, but try telling that to the Clemson Tigers after their miraculous comeback in the National Championship yesterday, beating Alabama in the last seconds of the game in what was a revenge matchup from last year. The post-game interviews of coach Dabo Swinney and quarterback Deshaun Watson reveal how they do think this championship is bigger than themselves, and that their faith & love for each other as a team is what helped them win.

"I told them tonight the difference in the game was going to be love... My word all year has been love." - Swinney.

STYLE: For the 3rd straight year, all 4 of the football teams in the College Football Playoff bracket were Nike sponsored teams. (I swear I picked out these cute shoes before I knew that.) So... how cute are these grey/black/white Nike Air Max Thea Flyknits?!

IS SPORT AN ART? Meryl Streep vs. MMAOh no, did Meryl Streep just take a jab at the Mixed Martial Arts community during her Golden Globe speech Sunday night? Fight promotor & president of Bellator MMA Organization responds:

“The global sport of mixed martial arts celebrates male and female athletes from all around the world who work years tirelessly honing their craft – and yes, art. They come from every country and every walk of life." - Scott Coker

DESIGN CRUSH: I have a huge design crush on Wilde House Paper, a monthly paper goods subscription box, founded by two talented best friends (@afabulousfete + @meganheddinger). Their hand lettering is off the charts and one of them also happens to be a designer for Free People. Their February box is sure to be a good one, it's themed "Yay You" & is all about loving you first.

UNDER ARMOUR CHANGING THE GAME: While Nike is the talk of the town in college football, NBA basketball is a different story. With the best record of the league so far (32-6 as of Jan 9), Steph Curry & his Golden State Warriors are well on their way to another NBA Finals appearance & redeeming last year's missed championship – #MakeThatOld

I love that this brand has risen to the top (#2 under Nike) with their patient strategy of signing rising stars like Steph Curry (who Nike passed on signing back in 2013, before his breakout MVP season). With Under Armour Next, they're also focusing on inspiring the next generation of athletes, knowing that brand loyalty starts at a young age...

"The younger generation is super excited about the brand. You go into schools and everyone is wearing us...People like the underdog & engage with our story." -- Sid Jatia, VP at Under Armour (for Marketing Week)

“Our key attributes for players we want to have on our team are young, underdog, and next.” - Matt Mirchin, SVP Global Marketing (for ESPN)

Can't wait to see more as Under Armour paves the way for the next generation of rising young athletes ✨.

SPORTS WORLD / WORLD SERIES:What you need to know >>> Aroldis Chapman, Cubs Pitcher, just saved his team Sunday night, in Game 5 of the World Series. He got pulled in from the bullpen early (in the 7th inning) to protect his team’s one run lead. Game 6 is tonight, Tues Nov 1 in Cleveland.

“When Joe Maddon (Cubs manager) walked out to the mound in the seventh inning Sunday night, pointed his left hand to the bullpen, and summoned hell and fire and filth and chaos into the fifth game of the World Series, you felt things. You felt confidence. You felt fear. You felt like you were seeing baseball players pushed to the brink of their abilities, and that something just might snap. You felt like a manager was choosing this moment to make a final stand… When Chapman came in, it meant that the Cubs would push this back to Cleveland for a sixth game, or the Indians would at least have to produce an instant classic to seal the victory. He saved not only the Cubs but the Series itself.” – from ESPN.com, read the full article here.

SHE PLAYS WE WIN: Check out this amazing collaboration between ShePlaysWeWin.com (a passion project by photographer Christin Rose) and Under Armour. Love it because it a) highlights the importance of girls playing sports and b) you never know where your passion project could take you! For inspiring pics, follow along at @sheplayswewin